As part of their Corporate Responsibility program, a group of partners and managers organized 100 feeding programs over 100 days to help fight hunger in impoverished communities. Over 10,400 individuals across 100 communities were served by volunteers from the company and Isla Lipana & Co. Foundation between October 2021 and January 2022. The initiative also provided assistance to those affected by Typhoon Odette in the Visayas. The firm received heartfelt gratitude from those they helped, but they remain committed to doing even more to combat hunger.
Aiding Communities to Emerge from Poverty
The Management Association of the Philippines has a Sub-Committee on EMERGE, which is a mentoring and financing program for educated individuals with financial challenges who want to become entrepreneurs. The program has helped two social enterprises through PwC Philippines. Ecosystems Works for Essential Benefits increased production and income by 300% and expanded their area of coverage from two to eight communities. Sentro ha Pagpauswag ha Panginabuhi, Inc. received a grant to construct two seaweed-drying facilities and buy six boats.
Battling the Persistence of Plastic
Plastic waste is a major environmental concern as it takes a long time to break down and ends up as microplastics in oceans. The Philippines is one of the largest contributors of mismanaged plastic waste in the ocean. To address this issue, PwC Philippines partnered with the Plastic Credit Exchange (PCX) to help companies offset their plastic waste by buying certified plastic credits. PwC Philippines also supports SM and PCX's Plastic Waste Collection Program.
Bringing Hope, One Chair at a Time
According to a Department of Education study, one of four (or 4.5 million) school students nationwide have no chair to use at school. To help students achieve a conducive learning environment in school, the Isla Lipana & Co. Foundation launched the Seat of Hope in 2010. To date, they have donated more than 6,500 school chairs to public schools nationwide.Isla Lipana & Co. Foundation is the CSR arm of Isla Lipana & Co./PwC Philippines.
It Take a Village to Build the "PWC Village"
Donations for the shelter project poured in from our people and PwC offices abroad, enough to fund the housing and repair of schools in the area. Our staff members and the local residents worked together to build houses that can withstand storms. We crossed 770 kilometers from where we sit to bring a village in Manila to build another village in Samar.
Living and Operating Sustainably
Taking care of the environment is a business imperative and the business community has a responsibility to act. To reduce paper usage, responsible sourcing of paper, and migration to digital formats can help save trees. Conserving energy can also be achieved by turning off lights daily for an hour at noon and using natural light whenever possible.
